The invention pertains to a semi-hard cheese, preferably a Gouda, Edam or Maasdam, having stringiness characteristics of a pasta filata cheese, wherein said cheese has a total amino acid (AN) content and a soluble nitrogen (SN) content, based on total nitrogen (TN) content, in the range of 1 - 10 % and 4 - 19 %, respectively. The invention also pertains to a process for preparing a semi-hard cheese having a moisture fat-free content (MFFB) of 57 - 63 %, wherein 20 - 80 wt%, based on the total weight of the finished cheese, of ripened semi-hard cheese, optionally after milling, is added to the curd of a pasta filata cheese or of an unbrined semi-hard cheese curd, provided that the pH of said curd is in the range of 5.1 - 5.4, where after the mixture of ripened semi-hard cheese and pasta filata cheese is subjected to cooking and stretching, wherein said cooking involves steam, where after said cheese is subjected to 5 - 9 °C for a period of at least 1 week, to obtain a semi-hard cheese having stringiness characteristics of a pasta filata cheese.
